as in capabilities
the physical or mental power to do something
as a result of the accident the once-vigorous athlete lost the ability to walk
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of abilities
Over millennia, marine animals have honed ears and sonar-like abilities to read their world in vibrations and echoes, turning the ocean into a place both alive with sound and fine-tuned to its subtleties.
—
Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 11 Sep. 2025
And while the game gives some basic tutorials for new abilities, a few mechanics seem intentionally obscured.
—ArsTechnica, 11 Sep. 2025
But most goal-setting advice falls short by focusing solely on training your visualization abilities without developing your obstacle-processing muscle — your brain’s capacity to plan around challenges while maintaining motivation.
—Big Think, 11 Sep. 2025
Investing in human specialists, however, would be good for students of all abilities.
—Tyler Austin Harper, The Atlantic, 11 Sep. 2025
While employers ranked job-specific technical abilities as their top priority, educators placed those competencies last, instead prioritizing soft skills like critical thinking and problem-solving.
—Michael T. Nietzel, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Earlier this year, a researcher surveyed more than 600 people across diverse age groups and educational backgrounds and found that the more someone used AI tools, the weaker their critical-thinking abilities.
—Murali Doraiswamy, Time, 10 Sep. 2025
The series provides an opportunity for new and younger dancers to showcase their abilities.
—David Lyman, Cincinnati Enquirer, 4 Sep. 2025
Our team of experts spent four weeks putting 24 brands to the test — including Laneige, Fenty Beauty, Murad, and Tower28 — assessing them on texture, absorbency, cleansing and hydrating abilities, and overall results.
—Esme Benjamin, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2025
Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 11 Sep. 2025
And while the game gives some basic tutorials for new abilities, a few mechanics seem intentionally obscured.
—ArsTechnica, 11 Sep. 2025
But most goal-setting advice falls short by focusing solely on training your visualization abilities without developing your obstacle-processing muscle — your brain’s capacity to plan around challenges while maintaining motivation.
—Big Think, 11 Sep. 2025
Investing in human specialists, however, would be good for students of all abilities.
—Tyler Austin Harper, The Atlantic, 11 Sep. 2025
While employers ranked job-specific technical abilities as their top priority, educators placed those competencies last, instead prioritizing soft skills like critical thinking and problem-solving.
—Michael T. Nietzel, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Earlier this year, a researcher surveyed more than 600 people across diverse age groups and educational backgrounds and found that the more someone used AI tools, the weaker their critical-thinking abilities.
—Murali Doraiswamy, Time, 10 Sep. 2025
The series provides an opportunity for new and younger dancers to showcase their abilities.
—David Lyman, Cincinnati Enquirer, 4 Sep. 2025
Our team of experts spent four weeks putting 24 brands to the test — including Laneige, Fenty Beauty, Murad, and Tower28 — assessing them on texture, absorbency, cleansing and hydrating abilities, and overall results.
—Esme Benjamin, PEOPLE, 4 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abilities
Noun
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Intelligent highway, city, and parking capabilities At the core of this technology is High-speed Navigation Cruise Assist, which allows the SUV to easily handle national highways, urban expressways, and ring roads.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
13 Sep. 2025
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Congress has also taken note of the gap between Chinese and American drone capabilities.—
Joseph Nepomuceno,
The Washington Examiner,
13 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Previously, these individuals had been allowed to contribute to research in non-staff capacities.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Sep. 2025
-
Building on these efforts, the company is expanding its photovoltaic capacities through a new plant in partnership with Verbund.—
Carved,
Sourcing Journal,
10 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Two years painstakingly transforming a 200-year-old Philadelphia row house into the restaurant equivalent of a Formula 1 car; nearly 20 more honing his skills in kitchens across the city, learning, sharpening, waiting.—
The Bon Appétit Staff,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
12 Sep. 2025
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The World Economic Forum has noted that AI should develop rather than replace critical thinking skills, but many institutions are inadvertently doing the opposite.—
Cornelia C. Walther,
Forbes.com,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Rotation-level talents are worth at least that, especially young ones, so having Walker and Sheppard on those deals is an easy call.—
Tony East,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
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But 2025 has proven to be something special, a year that not only highlights her range but also cements her as one of the most exciting talents to watch.—
Okla Jones,
Essence,
11 Sep. 2025
Noun
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This, in turn, allows our other faculties to kick in — namely, problem-solving, pattern recognition, and categorization.—
Jonny Thomson,
Big Think,
14 Aug. 2025
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Given its vibrant university scene, with more than 30 faculties and professional schools, Oviedo is a lively city that blends history, culture, and affordability.—
Cecilia Rodriguez,
Forbes,
12 Mar. 2025
Noun
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More money is apt to make homeschooling worse and far less tailored to the individual student and their interests and aptitudes by encouraging parents to substitute pricey group programs for the requisite effort of individualized instruction.—
Marie Sapirie,
Forbes.com,
25 Aug. 2025
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Students are sorted into these houses based on their personalities and magical aptitudes.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
5 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
While employers ranked job-specific technical abilities as their top priority, educators placed those competencies last, instead prioritizing soft skills like critical thinking and problem-solving.—
Michael T. Nietzel,
Forbes.com,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Mathematical and analytical competencies Mathematics serves as the universal language of engineering, enabling precise analysis and prediction of system behavior.—
Srishti Gupta,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Abilities.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abilities. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.
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